Bedhampton care home recreates glitzy Las Vegas casino in honour of 100-year-old resident Babs
Recently, Portsdown View care home in Bedhampton transformed its on-site bistro and bar into a dazzling Las Vegas-style casino for a very special night of gambling and card games.
The event was organised in honour of resident Babs (100), who after joining the home earlier this year shared that her wish to relive some of the vibrant casino nights she enjoyed with friends in her younger days.
Determined to bring those memories back to life, the team set out to recreate the magic of the ‘City of Lights’ for a one-night-only experience. With support from the home’s events, hospitality and kitchen teams, the bistro was reimagined as a lively casino, complete with gaming tables, music, cocktails and gourmet canapés.
Pippa Mafunga, General Manager at Portsdown View, comments: “It was wonderful to see the team some together to organise this event for Babs so soon after she joined us at Portsdown View. Since she became a part of our community, Babs has been regaling us with tales of countless nights of fun with friends playing games and testing their luck at casinos. When we saw how much joy those memories gave her, we knew we had to try and recreate it!”
At the start of the evening, each guest was given $200 in ‘fun money’ to spend as they pleased. After some lively competition, one lucky high-roller turned their stake into an impressive $1,600. Alongside considerable bragging rights, the resident also walked away with the top prize of the evening: a luxurious two-day spa weekend.
For Babs, the evening was particularly special. It gave her the chance to share her love of casino nights with new friends, while reconnecting with the excitement and glamour of her younger years. The event reflects Portsdown View’s commitment to delivering truly person-centred care, which involved taking the time to understand and celebrate each resident’s unique life story.
Pippa Mafunga said: “To us, exceptional care means respecting the unique histories and lived experiences of every resident. This means honouring what they are interested in and care about, while creating new memories which help bring some of that history to life. We believe every resident has a story to tell, and we can’t wait to help tell even more of those stories.”
Portsdown View is part of the Connaught Care Collection, an award-winning provider of luxury care homes. For more information, please contact [email protected], or call 023 9388 2154.